Manual-power machine



(No Model.) W. K. OROFPORD.

MANUAL POWER MACHINE.

N0. 537,917. Patented Apr. 2,3, 1895.

' /NVENTO/? UNETED Sra'rns Parana" @rrrcn.

IVARREN K/OROFFORD, OF NEW YORK,'N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TO \VILLIAMBARDSLEY, OF KEARNEY, NEW JERSEY.

MAN UAL-POWER MAC-HIN E.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,917, dated April23, 1895.

Application filed November 2,1892. Serial No. 450,77 No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN K. CROFFORD, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inManual-PowerMachines, of which the following is a speciii cation.

The invention relates to improvements in manual power machines, andconsists of con nected and pivotally mounted levers adapted to beactuated by handor foot and forming arms passing to opposite'sides ofthe shaft to be driven, and a chain or beltspirally wound completelyaround said shaft and secured at its ends to the said arms, the saidlevers operatin g both as an automatic take up and means for rotatingthe shaft; as hereinafter more fully described and claimed. The relationof the pivotally mounted levers is such that their arms holding theflexible connection may approach and separate from each other under thecontrol of the actuating lever, and when in use may swing toward theopposite sides of the shaft to be driven. The flexible connection,preferably a chain, will be spirally wound completely around the drivingshaft or a drum thereon, and pass thence to said levers.

. a manual power machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a similarview of same but showing the levers in a different position; and Fig. 3is a side elevation partly broken away of same. i

Fig. 1 illustrates the position of the levers and chain before pressureis exerted against the main actuating lever to cause the auxiliary leverto take up the slack in the chain and set the drum and shaft in motion,and Fig. 2 shows the relative position of the levers and chain-while thedrum and shaft are rotating.

In the drawings A designates the shaft, upon .whioh, by preference, thedrum B and balance wheel 0 are secured. The shaft A will be mounted insuitable bearings in a well known manner.

The features constituting the present invention consist of the means forrotating the shaft A and thus through the shaft transmitting motion tothe mechanism it is desired to operate; and in the embodiment oftheinvention illustrated D denotes the main actuating lever, which forconvenience I will designate as the first lever, and E an auxiliarylever which for convenience I will designate as the second lever andwhich is mounted on a bearing F and has arms G H, the former of which Iwill designate as thecarrier arm as it affords a pivotal bearing 1 forthe lever D and carries that lever, while the arm H, I will designate asa follower arm as it receives the follower end of the operating chain orbelt J which is spirally wound around the drum 13 and has its other endsecured to the lever D, which end I will designate as the pulling end asit is the end on which the leverD pulls for the purpose of rotating theshaft or drum around which the chain or belt passes.

It will be observed that the bearing I for the lever D is intermediatethe drum l5 and the bearing F for the lever E, and that upon the firstdepression of the outer end or handle of the lever D the effect will beto cause a separation of the lower ends of the levers,

thus causing the arm H to take up the slack in the chain or belt J,while the continued depression of said lever D will tighten the chain orbelt on and rotate the drum B in a positive and reliable manner. Thesubsequent elevating of the outer end or handle of the main lever Dpermits the lower ends of the levers to approach each other and theinstant slacking of the chain or belt on the drum B, thus allowing theshaft A to continue its rotation without interruption. With everydepression of the leverD the slack in the chain or belt J is taken up bythe lever E and the chain or belt tightened on the drum so as to rotatethe latter and its shaft and connecting mechanism, and with everyelevation of the lever D the chain or belt is loosened on the drum andthe levers reset for the succeeding operation of drawing the chain orbelt taut and applying power to the drum.

The degree of pressure exerted by the chain other.

The invention is one of particular efficiency and reliability, and itsparts are set in motion from a single point both to take up the slack inthe chain and rotate the drum. A very slight depression of the lever Dmoves the lower ends of the levers sufficiently apart to draw the chaintaut and the further depression of said lever binds thech'ain firmly onthe drum and effects the rotation of the shaft. After the chain hastraveled its length with the drum, a very'slight elevation of the leverD moves the lower ends of the levers toward each other and instantlyloosens the chain from the drum, so that the latter will not be retardedwhile the said lever is moved upward to its initial position, shown inFig. 1, preparf- York and State of New York, this 31st day of October,A. D. 1892;

atory to its further depression and action on the drum.

The lever D is illustrated as a hand lever and as such it will be usedin many instances, but it is obvious thatit may be converted into l afoot lever or be connected with a foot treadl'e without departing fromthe spirit of my in vention.

I do not confine the invention in its broader scope to the form of thelevers shown, since they may vary in their outlines and position Withoutaltering the result accomplished or departing from the invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a first lever, a second lever, and a drum, of achain attached to the first lever, thence passed around the drum, andthen attached to one arm of the second lever, the first lever beingpivoted upon and exerting part of its force against the other arm of thesecond lever, substantially as set 1 forth.

2. The combination, with a lever, a chain having one of its ends securedto one end of i said lever, a hand lever pivoted on the opposite end ofsaidlfirst mentionedlever and havingi'tshandle end projecting beyond thepivot 5 of the first named lever, and having said chain secured to itsopposite end, and a shaft around 1 which said chain is wound,substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New WARREN K. OROFFORD. Witnesses:

CHAS. O. GILL, E1). D'. MILLER.

